Er ai vano
by GreenleafUndomiel
Summary: "One small step" : Thranduil helps baby Legolas try and take his first steps, keeping it a secret from his wife and all of Mirkwood. AU. One-shot. Part of the Stars of Arda series.


**Hello reader! **I am glad that you have found the time to read this small one-shot. I hope that you enjoy it a much as I have enjoyed writing it :)

I don't own any of the characters except for Estelwen. All other characters belong to Tolkien and Peter Jackson.

Legolas is fifteen in the story, making him only a couple months old by Elven standards. This takes place after '_The Stars of Arda_' and '_I' tel' supëltíe__'_**.**

Title translation - _One small step._

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**Er ai vano.**

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Chapter 1

"Alright, _Tinith-las_, you can do it."

Thranduil encouraged his fifteen year old son, kneeling on the floor of his study as he held his arms out towards his child as Legolas wobbled on his small feet. The King smiled as his small Prince took his first step forward, his hands clapping together to get his child to take another step. "Go on, _Las_, almost there. Come to_ Ada_."

Legolas took another step forward wobbling the slightest as he looked up at his father "_Ada?_" The Elfling questioned, only then for him to start giggling and shouting "_Ada!_" repeatedly. With this, Legolas fell to the floor with a soft thud, his laughter fading as his cries began.

Thranduil made his way over to his small Prince and picked his little one up, rocking him back and forth "Do not cry, _Laegolas."_ Thranduil hushed his babe "You did very well." He smiled as Legolas stopped his cries and looked up into his eyes, his cheeks wet from his tears.

"_Ada?_"

The King gently placed his child on the floor and wiped the wet trails from Legolas' cheeks. He took Legolas' small hands into his own and turned his child around so that Legolas now had his back towards him. Thranduil then lifted Legolas a little of the ground and placed him on his own feet. "Ready, _Las?_" He looked down into the eyes of his child who had looked up at him, clearly confused as to what was going on.

Legolas didn't know whether to nod or shake his head. So, he did both, making his father laugh. The small Prince soon gripped his father's hand tight when he took a step forward, making him step forwards as well. It was strange but...Fun. Legolas soon began to giggle when his father took the next step.

Thranduil walked his son around the whole of his study before a knock came at his door and shouted for whoever was behind to enter.

"Thranduil, might you know where..." Estelwen, Queen of Mirkwood, stopped in mid sentence as she walked into the room and found her husband sitting behind his desk, a piece of parchment in his hand while her dear son crawled around the study. The Queen smiled down as Legolas crawled over to her "Hey there, little one." She knelt down and picked her child up, kissing his small nose as she did.

"He's been doing that all morning." Thranduil spoke up as he placed the parchment down and walked over towards his wife. "I think he's beginning to learn how to stand all on his own." He smiled lovingly, placing a kiss on her lips while his gently tapped Legolas' nose with his finger.

"By the Valar." Estelwen exclaimed "He was already quick to speak and now he learns how to walk?" She shifted Legolas in her arms, making Legolas grunt as he tried to get comfortable in his new position. "It will not be long till we will have to search the entire palace looking for our trouble one." Thranduil nodded in agreement. After her child had finished his small wave of grunts, the Queen looked up at her King and asked "Ah, I was wondering if you have seen Tauriel anywhere. I will be helping the maids later tonight and you have a late council meeting. I need someone to tuck him into bed tonight."

"Unfortunately, I haven't seen her this day. I have been stuck writing endless reports. I fear I may never see the light of day again."

Estelwen laughed as she watched the King sulk and pull away from her, kneeling down and beginning to pick up little pieces of wood Legolas had previously thrown across the room earlier this morning. "Oh, perhaps, if you are too busy, I can take this little terror of your shoulder's?"

Thranduil then stood, placing the pieces into a woven basket. He snorted "Nay, he is keeping me entertained with the way he has tried to walk. Let him stay but for a few hours more, till our afternoon meal. You may steal him from me then."

Estelwen walked over to her husband and placed a kiss apon his cheek "I shall see you at both until then." She said as she passed Legolas over to him and hurried off to find the Captain of the guard.

Thranduil waited for a few seconds until he couldn't hear her footfalls no more. As the silence in the corridor confirmed that his wife had truly made off in a hurry, he cried out and chucked Legolas into the air, catching his little Elfling as Legolas squealed with delight. "Valar, _Laegolas_! I thought your _Naneth_ would never leave!" He laughed, chucking Legolas into the air once more.

"Now..." He said, placing his giggling Elfling on the floor and taking hold of his hands, placing him in the same position as he was before Estelwen had knocked and interrupted them. "...Shall we continue practising?" When he heard his Elfling shout "_Ada!"_ as his answer, Thranduil began to walk around the study again, the Prince laughing all the while he did.

The King never wanted to lie to his wife about him helping Legolas to walk at such an early age. He just didn't want to tell her after doing it for so long. This was Legolas' second week at trying to walk by himself but his small babe could still only manage two or maybe three if he concentrated enough.

This was the King's only secret he kept from his wife and so far it had proved to hide it from her well. He was always annoyed when she could read the emotions in his bright blue eyes, causing him to tell her everything he felt and everything he thought. But, it did lift the weight of his shoulder's and for that he was thankful.

Thranduil never did stop worrying about his small Elfling. After fifteen years had passed since the time Elrond, Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn had placed the spell on Legolas to stop Sauron from entering his mind, his fear for his child never stopped. He had used up much of his strength in placing a barrier around the Kingdom, stopping anything from entering to cause his little leaf harm.

The spell apon Legolas had showed no signs of weakening, the crack Elrond had told him about had indeed sent a tremendous amount of worry through him. He only hoped the the spell would last until Legolas was three thousand, hoping that his leaf would never venture out until he had reached his maturity.

After the King and Prince had walked around the room for the fifth time, Thranduil then lifted Legolas off his feet and then back onto the floor. With his large hands still within that of his son's small one's, he took a step back, gently making Legolas take a step forward "Just like me, _Las_. Take a nice small step with me."

Legolas looked down at his feet, watching as he lifted one and began to place it on the floor, rocking slightly as he tried to get used to the feeling. "_Ada._" He said as he lifted his other foot and rocked back and forth for several seconds. "_Ada!_" He cried as his foot touched the ground.

Thranduil smiled "That's it, _Tinith-las,_ walk with me." He watched as his son kept his eyes glued to his feet as they lifted off the floor and back down. Tiny were his steps, but it was a huge improvement. After five steps later, Legolas had finally lost his balance and Thranduil picked up his Elfling, spinning him around as he cried "You are indeed one quick learner, my child! Not only did you do two..." He stopped his spinning, holding up two fingers "...But five!" He held up five.

Legolas laughed as his tiny, chubby fingers wrapped around his father's long, slender one's. "_Ada!_"

"Aye, my little one." Thranduil kissed his son's temple, Legolas blonde curls rubbing against his cheek "Please, do not grow up too quickly. I will miss all this attention." He giggled as he curled his fingers around Legolas' "Also, you cannot learn '_Naneth_' yet. Let your mother think, just for a little while longer, that I'm your favourite. Understand, _Laegolas_?"

"_Ada!"_ Legolas shouted as he rested his head against his father's chest and his deep sea blue eyes began to glaze over, becoming exhausted from taking so many steps in one morning.

Thranduil smile turned soft as he heard Legolas' breathing slow and even out. He rocked his small child and walked over towards a sofa and laid down apon it. Slowly, his own eyes began to glaze over as he held his Greenleaf close to him.

It was only a couple of hours later that Estelwen walked in and found the pair still fast asleep. With a smile, she placed a blanket over the two and walked out, returning to the afternoon meal and asking the cooks to make something for later, never telling them the reason that the King and Prince were sleeping so soundlessly that not even the trees song nor the bird song awoke them.

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**The End. **

Awww, well I hope Thranduil and Legolas have sweet dreams :)

Don't forget to review!

**Namarië!**


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